January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, a time to reflect on the progress that survivor leaders, anti-trafficking organizations, communities, and allied individuals have achieved through their ongoing services and advocacy. It is also an opportunity to consider lessons learned and to reaffirm our commitment to preventing and responding to human trafficking.
At the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), we recognize that human trafficking is a public health issue and a violent crime that affects individuals, families, and communities. Combating human trafficking is a key part of our work to ensure the economic, health, and social well-being for all. ACF looks forward to continued collaboration and partnership with our health counterparts like the Assistant Secretary of Health and others across the Department. For example, we will work with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to strengthen access to critical behavioral health services for survivors, with the Health Resources and Services Administration to train community-based health centers to identify and respond to human trafficking, and with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to inform effective public health strategies to prevent human trafficking.
Human trafficking is a threat that intersects with many of human service program offices that serve populations particularly vulnerable for interrelated forms of violence. Children in out-of-home care, youth and adults experiencing homelessness and domestic violence, unaccompanied children and refugees, indigenous peoples, and communities impacted by natural disasters are all at a heightened risk for human trafficking. Addressing human trafficking is integral to our goal to ensure the safety and welfare of populations impacted by systemic inequities.
Like any public health issue, human trafficking is preventable. The best way to minimize the threat of human trafficking is through synchronized, collaborative engagement. Therefore, we are institutionalizing a community-informed anti-trafficking response across multiple ACF programs. By integrating anti-trafficking efforts into all relevant programs and systems of care, we will enhance our prevention efforts and strengthen protections for those most vulnerable to human trafficking.
The Office on Trafficking in Persons (OTIP) spearheads the development of ACF's anti-trafficking resources, policies, and programming. OTIP funds grant assistance programs to connect individuals who have experienced human trafficking to resources and benefits, develops training to build the capacity of service providers to identify and respond to trafficking concerns, and strengthens the federal response to human trafficking through data-informed research and programmatic evaluation.
The Children’s Bureau's (CB) anti-trafficking efforts are focused on children and youth who are at risk for abuse or neglect and those who are involved with the child welfare system. CB’s Child Welfare Capacity Building Collaborative develops resources for child welfare and youth-serving agencies to strengthen their anti-trafficking policies and programming to prevent and better respond to trafficking among youth.
The Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB) develops anti-trafficking resources that focus on the connection between human trafficking and youth experiencing homeless, domestic violence, and adolescent pregnancy prevention. The Runaway and Homeless Youth Training and Technical Assistance Center (RHYTTAC) offers digital resources and factsheets as well as training opportunities for agencies to incorporate trafficking prevention and response protocols into their programs. The Domestic Violence Resource Network integrates information on human trafficking in their technical assistance and Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention grant recipients integrate human trafficking in prevention education programming.
The Administration for Native Americans (ANA) supports a variety of anti-trafficking initiatives focused on addressing the disproportionate impact that human trafficking has on Native American communities. ANA led the development of the Missing and Murdered Native Americans (MMNA) Framework, which addresses systemic violence, including human trafficking, toward Native American peoples.
The Office of Human Services, Emergency Preparedness, and Response (OHSEPR) assists individuals, families, and communities impacted by disasters and public health emergencies. OHSEPR also provides guidance on the development of resources that address the nexus of human trafficking and emergency response. Recent resources including information to prepare emergency managers and service responders to prevent human trafficking during disasters and emergencies.
The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) screens all unaccompanied children for indicators of human trafficking. Adults and children who have experienced human trafficking with a Certification or Eligibility Letter from OTIP are eligible for benefits and services to the same extent as a refugee, which includes access to medical care and foster care. Learn more about the child eligibility process.
The Office on Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE) develops research and evaluation projects that strengthen ACF’s anti-trafficking policies and programming. Recent resources include an evaluation of Domestic Victims of Human Trafficking (DVHT) programs and a review of prior human trafficking prevalence studies.
The Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) supported the development of the Shepherd Case Management System, which streamlines the request for assistance process for individuals who have experienced human trafficking, accelerates connection to assistance programs, and strengthens data security. OCIO serves as the point of contact for any Shepherd technical issues.
ACF’s 10 regional offices that comprise the Office of Regional Operations (ORO) partner with local organizations, task forces, and coalitions on human trafficking awareness efforts throughout the year. Recent and upcoming activities include Region 4’s National Labor Trafficking Conference , held October 13-15, 2021, and Region 3’s Human Trafficking Summit , to be held February 9-10, 2022.
These are just a few examples of ACF’s collective and comprehensive response to human trafficking. As we make our way through National Human Trafficking Prevention Month and beyond, we will continue to implement the National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking by leveraging the expertise and capacity of our diverse health and human service systems. Through an integrated response, we are better equipped to proactively address the underlying causes of human trafficking and protect the individuals, families, and communities we serve.